Suicide intervention class offered to Towns, Union groups
News February 26, 2020
YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. – The media often avoids reporting general suicide, but it is an issue that tragically affects every region in America. According to a 2017 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Leading Causes of Death Reports, suicide was the tenth leading cause of death overall in the United States, claiming the lives of over 47,000 citizens. It ranks as the fourth leading cause of death for people ages 35 to 54, and the second for 10- to 34-year-olds.
Hailey Silvey, LAPC, NCSC, Suicide Prevention Initiative Project Director with the Council on Alcohol and Drugs, Inc. is offering a QPR (“Question, Persuade, Refer”) class on March 5, at 5 p.m. at the Lake Chatuge Chamber of Commerce office. QPR is an hour-long course on suicide awareness, and how to intervene if someone is suicidal. The training discusses topics such as potential warning signs, ways to intervene, and resources available in the local area.
Suicide Prevention Initiative Project Director Hailey Silvey
Created by Dr. Paul Quinnett, and first described in 1995 in a number of presentations and publications by the QPR Institute, more than 15,000 certified QPR instructors have been trained in America and abroad through 2015, and more than 1,000,000 American citizens had been trained as QPR gatekeepers by the end 2009, at a current rate of approximately 25,000 persons per month.
The training is offered free of charge to all groups and businesses in Towns and Union counties.
RSVP is required by dialing 706-896-4966.
The Chamber is located at 1411 Jack Dayton Circle in Young Harris – directly across the street from The Ridges Resort.
According to the American Psychological Association, pinpointing the reasons that suicide rates rise or fall is challenging in part because the cause of suicides is complex. Risk factors include health factors (such as depression, substance use problems, serious mental illness and serious physical health conditions including pain), environmental factors (such as access to lethal means and stressful life events, including divorce, unemployment, relationship problems or financial crisis) and historical factors (including previous suicide attempts, a family history of suicide, and a history of childhood abuse or trauma). Socioeconomic changes could be part of the puzzle in understanding the statistics. Globally, suicide rates have often fallen when living conditions have improved. However, the reverse is additionally true.
If you are considering suicide, or you are worried about a friend or loved one, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255
You Matter Conference teaches attendees how to better love themselves and others
Community, Lifestyle February 20, 2020
BLAIRSVILLE, Ga – A Change in Our World’s (Change) “You Matter Conference” sought to equip people in the North Georgia community with the tools to inspire self-confidence and spread that message to others.
At the heart of the matter, Change’s founder Rebecca Brendle wanted everyone to realize their importance in this life and that everyone matters. This belief echoed throughout her training and in Change’s motto: “You matter. Your Life is Important. Someone Needs You.”
“You matter because you mattered enough to God that he died for you. He came to give you a new life. He came to run off [depression, anxiety, or obesity.]” Brendle declared on stage at the Pat Haralson Civic Center.
As a “hope bringer,” she has helped many teenagers and adults find their hope for the future. Change began as an organization to prevent suicide in the North Georgia Mountains by building relationships, promoting wholeness, and strengthening others.
“[Suicide] is a lie that tells you your life is not important,” said Brendle, “90 percent of people who die by suicide told someone the week before that they were going to commit suicide. 90 percent told somebody!”
Rebecca Brendle, founder of A Change in Our World.
Brendle asserted that the biggest way to prevent suicide is to convince others that they matter, and a trained suicide counselor affirmed this by saying that potential victims need to see the value in tomorrow.
The suicide rate in Towns and Union County has been the highest in Georgia for 19 years. Union has the third-highest per capita, and Towns has the highest per capita.
“We live in a beautiful place, a gorgeous place, an intimate place. So why are suicide rates so high?” asked Brendle. “I believe it’s because people don’t like to socialize, so we need to get socializing. We need to find things to do outside of our comfort zones, [and] outside their homes.”
Change has hosted several events throughout the year to provide people the opportunity to mingle with others in the community, including weekly meetings for teenagers.
God didn’t design people to live alone, and Change has strived to break people out of their circles and pump them up. Once people go home, they live with their problems.
“The Holy Ghost is the most amazing helper, but He designs people to help you too. People’s lives depend on connection,” said Brendle. “The type of connection is just as important as the connection.”
Also, Bad relationships seriously affected people’s choices and habits. With assistance from the Devil, people hated themselves, wallowed in self-pity, and committed suicide, according to Brendle. She stood by this conviction because everyone matters and deserved to live their entire life. No one should cut it short. With Jesus, all their problems disappear.
“How do you deal with spirits? The same way Jesus did, say ‘shut up and leave.’ You get rid of grief and depression by using your authority through Jesus to bind it,” stated Brendle.
She stressed finding value in one’s life because how can someone value another life if they don’t value their own life. To help the audience identify their positive traits, they wrote down three personality descriptors, unique skills, and enjoyment bringers.
Together these areas should help individuals find their purpose in life. According to Brendle, God determined everyone’s traits and enjoyments before birth. People should use their uniqueness to grow as well as help others.
Adults should help children and teenagers understand how to harness their aspirations and amusements in order to guide their lives.
Attendees listened to Brendle explain why everyone matters.
God is love. 1 John 4:18 stated perfect love casts out fear. One must understand love to show love to others.
“We are inside-out people. We’re loved first so that we can love others,” declared Brendle.
Change has planned a Hiawassee edition of the “You Matter Conference” for March 21. For those considering suicide or looking to learn more about preventing suicide, call the national suicide prevention hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or visit suicidepreventionlifeline.org.